Tuesday, June 19, 2007

We may present any evidence from Quran , Sunnah , Ijma (consensus of Muslim scholars of Ahlus sunnah) or from Qiyas ( Analogy made by Scholars of Ahlus sunnah on matters which are not directly told in quran and hadith), but a Wahabi ( who shamelessly call themself as Salafi) will not admit unless he finds it from his wahabi scholars.

In order to prove that thier innovations are based upon an Islamic source , Wahabis may misquote great schoalrs of Ahlus sunnah, they may Fabricate books, twist the meaning and then distribute all these books free of cost!!

After reading the Biddah of division in tawheed part one , let us see how Wahabis try to run around the bush.

This is taken from a Wahabi website where they have tried to show that one of the great scholars of Islam Imam al-Tahawi (239-321 AH) made divisions in Tawheed.

But this a lie! A big lie. Read it and find out.

BELOW IS A QUOTE FROM A WAHABI WEBSITE , FOLLOWED BY THE REPLY FROM THE SCHOLARS OF AHLUS SUNNAH WAL JMAHWAHABI WEBSITE SAYS

Tawheed ar-Ruboobiyyah is Recognised by Instinct Allaah the Most High said (what means): “So bring yourself to the upright natural religion of Allaah, the one which He (fatara) created people upon. There will be no changing Allaah's creation, and that is the straight religion, but most people are not aware. Turn to Him, revere Him, and establish prayer, and do not be of the mushrikeen, those who divided their religion and became sects, each party rejoicing with that which is with them. And when people are touched by harm, they call their Lord, turning to Him. Then when He gives them a taste of His mercy, this is when some of them associate partners with their Lord due to their ingratitude for what We gave them. So enjoy! But you will come to know. Or have We revealed some authority to them, speaking of that which they associate with Him? And when We let people taste mercy, then they rejoice in it, but if some evil afflicts them because of what their hands wrought, then they despair!” (30:30) And: “Their messengers said to them: ‘Is there doubt that Allaah is the Originator (Faatir) of the heavens and the Earth?’.” (14:10) ""( END OF QUOTE FROM WAHABI WEBSITE) REPLY OF AHLUS SUNNAH WAL JAMAH

1)Ibn Abi al-`Izz's commentary on al-Tahawi's `Aqida.

The latter is a normative classic of Islam but Ibn Abi al-`Izz is an unknown, unacceptable as a source for Ahl al-Sunna teachings. Examples of his unreliability are his rejection of al-Tahawi's articles 35 ("The Seeing of Allah by the People of the Garden is true, without their vision being all-encompassing and without the manner of their vision being known") and §38 ("He is beyond having limits placed on Him, or being restricted, or having parts or limbs, nor is He contained by the six directions as all created things are") by the statements, "Can any vision be rationally conceived without face-to-face encounter? And in it there is a proof for His elevation (`uluw) over His creatures," and "Whoever claims that Allah is seen without direction, let him verify his reason!"2 He also endorses Ibn Taymiyya's view of the finality of Hellfire3 in flat contradiction of the al-Tahawi's statement, §83. "The Garden and the Fire are created and shall never be extinguished nor come to an end." There is also doubt as to Ibn Abi al-`Izz's identity and authorship of this Sharh (cf. 4.1.3).

2)

2)Ibn Abi al-`Izz: Imam Muhammad Zahid al-Kawthari said: "A commentary was published [on the `Aqida Tahawiyya], authored by an Unknown spuriously affiliated with the Hanafi school, but whose handiwork proclaims his ignorance of this discipline and the fact that he is an anthropomorphist who has lost his compass."16 The late Imam of hadith and usûl of Damascus, Sayyid Ibrahim al-Ya`qubi, suspected that "Ibn Abi al-`Izz" of being a pseudonym for Ibn al-Qayyim given away by the author's systematic abandonment of the Maturidi - and even Sunni - position on not one but several key points in favor of Ibn Taymiyya's innovations, as confirmed in the following lines.

Al-Qari said in Sharh al-Fiqh al-Akbar (p. 180): "One must not pay any attention to what the innovators imagine on rational bases. The commentator of al-Tahawi's `Aqida [Ibn Abi al-`Izz in Sharh al-`Aqida al-Tahawiyya (p. 195)] committed a mistake in this regard when he said: `Can any vision be rationally conceived without face-to-face encounter? And in it there is a proof for His elevation (`uluw) over His creatures.' It seems that he applies the upward direction to his Lord, whereas the doctrine of Ahl al-Sunna wa al-Jama`a is that He - exalted is He - is not seen in any direction! The Prophet's saying: 'You shall see your Lord just as you see the moon on the night it is full' [from Abu Hurayra by al-Tirmidhi (hasan gharîb) and Abu Hanifa in his Musnad and, in a slightly different wording, from Jarir ibn `Abd Allah al-Bajali by al-Bukhari and Muslim] is a simile (tashbîh) between two types of sightings generally speaking, not a simile between two objects of vision from every perspective.

3)Ibn Abi al-`Izz also adopts Ibn Taymiyya's famous invention of three tawhîds: one for Godhead (tawhîd al-ulûhiyya), one for Lordship (tawhîd al-rubûbiyya), and one for the Divine Names and Attributes (tawhîd al-asmâ' wa al-sifât).18 To our knowledge, this is found in no other commentary of the Tahawiyya, not even the "Salafi" commentary by Hasan al-Busnawi, although the latter does follow Ibn Abi al-`Izz in other matters. Abu Hamid ibn Marzuq's critique of Ibn Taymiyya's trinitarian monotheism has been translated and published.

SO , we see that Imam Tahawii NEVER classified division in tawheed . If some one writes a " sharah"( Explainataion) of his book and uses his own classification , ascribing it to Imam Tahawii , then that cannot be taken as Imam Tahawii;s stand. Further more , the position of Ibn Abi al -Izz can be understood from the above reading.

We all are aware of the wahabi ( so called salafi) methodology. Their whole doctrine is based upon the views of a hand ful of scholars like Ibn Tyamiah, Ibn Qayyim al jawziyah,Ibn baz , Albani and Uthaymeen.

My personal experience tells that in the coming years Sheikh Ibn Tyamiah will be sidelined , when more and more wahabis will come to know that Ibn Taymiah loved Tasawwuf.

As far as Ahlus sunnah wal jamah, then the scholars never considered Ibn Taymiah a man who has a good understanding of ISLAMIC AQIDAH ( DOCTRINE) .

Please read the other artciles on the blog spot ; like Ibn hajar on Ibn taymiah , Imam Dahabi's letter to Ibn Taymiah..etc to find out what all BLUNDERS Ibn Taymiah did in Islamic doctrine( aqidah).

Insha Allah this article will show another blunder of Ibn Taymiah! This will be divided into 2 parts. The first part is for everyone and the second one for those who love in detail analysis.

All the muslims are aware of the five pillars of Islam;

1)Faith or belief in the Oneness of God( Tawheed) and the finality of the prophethood of Muhammad;( Risalat)2)Establishment of the daily prayers;3) Zakat( almsgiving) to the needy;4 Fasting in the month of Ramadhan5)The pilgrimage to Makkah for those who are able

Ibn Taymiah divided the belief in the Oneness of God into categories!!!( Read below to know in detail).

A wahabi may tell you that since hadith( prophetic traditions) are divided into different categories , so this allowed Ibn TAYMIAH to commit this Innovation( biddah) of dividing even Tawheed!!( But they forget that HADITH is not among the 5 pillars of Islam)

To know and learn hadith is not a Fard upon muslims and no muslim scholar ever said that if you don't know the division of Hadith, then you are not a muslim!( In fact the division was made and named to maintain the authenticity of hadiths)

When it comes to division of Tawheed, these blind follower of Ibn taymiah have the worst belief! They say " If a Muslim does not know and believe in these division he is not a muslim!!".

A wahabi was told that since Tawheed is the CORE of ISLAM and all the prophet came to teach tawheed and the leader of all the prophets( Imamul Anmbiya) , the seal of the prophethood Sayyidena Mohammed ( sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) did not mention about any division in THE MOST impostant part of Islam( tawheed), then how can you believe and add this division in Islam?

His answer was" May be prophet missed this as he was a normal human being who used to forget things""

( Astagfirullah)

Any muslim can take the above comment of this wahabi and ask any scholar of islam about this comment. A fatwa of Kufr will be declared on him.

Sheikh Ibn Taimiyah made this division and salafis follow it blindly .NO one before Sheikh Ibn Taimiyah EVER made this divsion. Sheikh Ibn Taimiyah and the salafis equated muslims to mushrikeen and present day salafis say " if you do not know this divison and its meaning then you are like mushrik.

Among Ibn Taymiyya's kalâm innovations was his division of tawh.îd into two types: tawh.îd al-rubûbiyya and tawh.îd al-ulûhiyya, respectively, Oneness of Lordship and Oneness of Godhead. fn80 The first, he said, consisted in the acknowledgment of Allâh as the Creator of all, a belief shared by believers and non-believers alike. The second, he said, was the affirmation of Allâh as the one true deity and only object of worship, a belief exclusive to believers. His natural conclusion was that "whoever does not know tawh.îd al-ulûhiyya, his knowledge of tawh.îd al-rubûbiyya is not taken into account because the idolaters also had such knowledge." He then compared the scholars of kalâm to the Arab idol-worshippers who accepted tawh.îd al-rubûbiyya but ignored tawh.îd al-ulûhiyya

1. Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, to whom Ibn Taymiyya falsely affiliated himself in front of Hanbalis, never said that tawheed consisted in two parts, one being tawheed al-ruboobiyya and the other tawheed al- uloohiyya, nor did he ever say that "whoever does not know tawheed al-uloohiyya, his knowledge of tawheed al-ruboobiyya is not taken into account because the idolaters also had such knowledge." Anyone can check that Imam Ahmad never said such a thing in his doctrine (`aqida) as recorded in the compilations of his followers such as Ibn al-Jawzi's 'Manaaqib' and other books, none of which contain this drivel.

2). None of the followers of the Followers (atba`a` al-taabi`een) ever said to his companions (i.e. students of younger generations) that tawheed consisted in two parts, one being tawheed al-ruboobiyya and the other tawheed al-uloohiyya, nor did any of them ever say that "whoever does not know tawheed al-uloohiyya, his knowledge of tawheed al- ruboobiyya is not taken into account." If humankind and jinn joined together to prove that one of the atbaa` al-taabi`een ever said such a thing, they would not succeed!

3.) None of the Followers (al-taabi`een) ever said to their companions (i.e. students of younger generations) that tawheed consisted in two parts, one being tawheed al-ruboobiyya and the other tawheed al- uloohiyya, and if humankind and jinn joined together to establish that one of them ever said such a thing, they would not succeed!

4.) None of the Companions of the Prophet (s) ever said that tawheed consisted in two parts, one being tawheed al-ruboobiyya and the other tawheed al-uloohiyya, nor did any of them ever say that "whoever does not know tawheed al-uloohiyya, his knowledge of tawheed al-ruboobiyya is not taken into account because the idolaters also had such knowledge." And I defy whoever stakes a claim that he has knowledge, to try and trace for us such a fabricated division back to the Companions -- even with an inauthentic narration (wa law bi riwaayatin waahiya)!

5.) Nowhere in the extensive Sunna of the Prophet (s), which is the exposition of the Book of Allah the Mighty and the Majestic, whether in the books of 'sahih', the 'sunnan', the 'masaanid', or the 'ma`aajim', is it related that the Prophet (s) ever said to his Companions or ever taught them that tawheed consisted in two parts, one being tawheed al-ruboobiyya and the other tawheed al-uloohiyya, nor that "whoever does not know tawheed al-uloohiyya, his knowledge of tawheed al-ruboobiyya is not taken into account because the idolaters also had such knowledge." If humankind and jinn joined together to establish that the Prophet (s) ever said such a thing, even with an inauthentic chain of transmission, they would not succeed!

6) Indeed the books of the Sunna of the Prophet (s) overflow with the fact that the call (da`wa) of the Prophet (s) to the people unto Allah was in order that they witness that there is no god except God alone and that Muhammad is the Messenger of God, and in order that they repudiate idol-worship. One of the most famous illustrations of this is the (sound) narration of Mu`adh ibn Jabal when the Prophet (s) sent him to (govern) Yemen and said to him: "Invite them to the witnessing that {there is no god but God and Muhammad is the Messenger of God}. If they obey this, at that time tell them that they are obligated to pray five prayers in every twenty-four hours..." And it is narrated in five of the six books of authentic traditions, and Ibn Hibbaan declared it sound, that a beduin Arab reported the sighting of the new moon to the Prophet (s) and the latter ordered the people to fast without asking this man other than to confirm the two witnessings. According to this drivel of Ibn Taymiyya, it would have been necessary for the Prophet (s) to call all people to the tawheed al-uloohiyya of which they were ignorant, for as for tawheed al-ruboobiyya they knew it already; and he should have said to Mu`aadh (according to this drivel): "Invite them to tawheed al-uloohiyya"; and he should have asked the beduin who had sighted the new moon of Ramadan (according to this drivel): "Do you know tawheed al-uloohiyya?"

7.) In His precious Book which falsehood cannot approach whether from the front or from the back, Allah never ordered "tawheed al-uloohiyya" to His servants, nor did He ever say that "whoever does not know this tawheed, his knowledge of tawheed al-ruboobiyya is not taken into account."

8). Rather, Allah ordered the utterance of an Absolute Word of Oneness (kalimat al-tawHeed muTlaqa), for He said as He addressed His Prophet (s): "Know that there is no other god except God alone" ('fa`lam annahu la ilaaha illallaah'). And He spoke similarly in all of the verses of oneness (tawheed) that are mentioned in the Qur'an including surat al-ikhlas which is equivalent to one third of the Qur'an.

9.) It would have been necessary for Allah, if we were to believe this drivel (of Ibn Taymiyya), that since His servants all knew about tawheed al-ruboobiyya and did not know about tawheed al-uloohiyya, He should have made it explicitly clear to them and not misguided them and not punished them for their ignorance of half of tawheed, nor said to them: "Today I have perfected for you your Religion and I have completed My blessing upon you and I have accepted for you islaam as a religion." And we seek refuge in Allah from the treacheries of the tongue and the corruption of folly.

Those who talk of division in Tahheed , also shout on " BIddah"( INOVATION) , isn't this the ugliest Biddah in Islam?

NOW THE BOMB !!!!

A wahabi can never justify the division in tawheed. He will speak to you , will be answerless , but still keep on arguing! We can try to awake those who are sleeping , but not those who are pretending to sleep! Guidance is from Allah alone.

So a wahabi who is debating in his heart about this division of tawheed into 3 parts, should ask a question to his own self: Why can't we make more divisions in TAWHEED? Why not make 4 , 5 6 divisions and go on naming them? Which rule says that IF Ibn TAYMIAH does something it becomes a Rule for WAHABIS , but if some one else does it , it is a BIDDAH??

Please read below and you decide! This happend when a recent Wahabi scholar made the 4th division of tawheed !! He was called a BIDDATEE ( INNOVATOR) BY OTHER WAHABIS!!

So the wahabi rule is : Only Ibn Taymiah can add anyhting to Wahabism and his addition makes him "sheikhul Islam" but if another Wahabi adds something he is called a Biddatee( Innovator)!!

This issue indicates that the (Wahabis)pseudo-Salafiyya are shallow in their manhaj and lack a definite and concrete Usul in aqeeda and other affairs! Let us see how these people are divided on this issue of "Tawhid al-Hakimiyya"( The 4th division in Tawheed made by a recent WAHABI).

Read the Quote from their own websites and scholars below.

Pseudo-Salafiyya are divided on "Tawhid al-Hakimiyya":

1) Salih al-Fawzan

Questioner 1: There is someone who has made a fourth category for Tawheed and called it Tawheed al-Haakimiyyah

Shaikh Fawzaan: [interjecting]... This is misguidance..., this is misguidance. This is misguidance and an [unnecessary] addition, which the people of knowledge have not affirmed. Tawheed is but two or three categories... this is contradictory, one person says Tawheed is only one category and another says it is four categories. All of this is misguidance.

Questioner 1: This person's evidence is that the basis for this categorisation...

Shaikh Fawzaan: [interjecting]... [words unclear].. Tawheed ul-Haakimiyyah an independent category and it does not enter into Tawheed ul-Uloohiyyah? It enters into Tawheed ul-Uloohiyyah! It is a type of worship and is a type of devotion to Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic

.Questioner 2: He says that these three categorisations, al-Uloohiyyah, ar-Ruboobiyyah and al-Asmaa was-Sifaat, he says that this is a matter which is arrived at by the ijtihaad of the scholars, or by way of investigation and analysis (istiqraa').

Shaikh Fawzaan: That is sufficient for us, we will not add to what they have unanimously agreed upon, and they agree upon this.. [then] there comes an ignoramus in the twentieth century... he says 'I am a Mujtahid and I will add to what the People of Knowledge have agreed upon'. This is misguidance...

Questioner 2: [interjecting]...Shaikh Fawzaan:This is clear error! Because al-Haakimiyyah enters into Tawheed ul-Uloohiyyah. Who has made it another category or made it an independent category? Will he make the prayer into a fifth or sixth category and jihaad a seventh category? [Because] all of the types of worship are from the types of Tawheed? This is not correct...

Questioner 2: So this is an innovated saying, this saying [Tawheed ul-Haakimiyyah]?

Shaikh Fawzaan: Yes, there is no doubt in this, it is in opposition to the Ijmaa [of Ahl us-Sunnah]. None of the people of knowledge have ever spoken with it. It is in opposition to the Ijmaa." End

Comments: The Ruwaibidah have attempted on numerous occasions to distort the concepts of Sunnah and Salafiyyah and spread cancerous teachings within the body of the Ummah, introducing innovations and newly-invented matters under the guise of rectification and the fiqh of priorities.

When the Salafi Imaams and Mashayikh stood to refute this innovation, the political activists, then refrained from using the term "Tawheed ul-Haakimiyyah" and spoke just of "al-Haakimiyyah", but never did they repent and recant from this innovation - (the while the whole Ummah to them is apostate merely because of the absence of total Sharee'ah rule - and such was their absolution and generalisation - having derived this teaching from their sayyid, Sayyid Qutb) [1].

And Despite the fact that there was unanimous agreement on this issue amongst the major and senior scholars, another one of their well known ploys was unleashed. To portray this issue as one of ijtihaad in which the people of knowledge differ. To this end they used the words of Shaikh Ibn Ghunayman which they thought supported them but which were in reality against them – as we shall see further below. So they made it permissible for themselves to depart from the Ijmaa of Ahl us-Sunnah, to deviate from the muhkam and instead to follow what was other than that and which was but ambiguous.

The Statement of Shaikh al-Ghunayman

One of those upon whose words the Qutubiyyah( A SECT IN WAHABISM) relied upon is Shaikh al-Ghunayman. The Shaikh stated when asked about Tawhid ul-Haakimiyyah, "It is not permissible to deny Tawheed al-Haakimiyyah, for it is from the types of Tawheed. But it falls under Tawheed al-‘Ibaadah with regards to the ruler himself as a person. With regards to it meaning Tawheed, then it falls under ar-Ruboobeeyyah, because the Ruler is Allaah. So it should be that the Rabb is the Muttasarrif (Controller of affairs), He is the One who has the Hukm, so it falls under Tawheed Ar-Ruboobiyyah with regards to ruling, ordering, prohibiting, and carrying out, whereas regards to application and action then the slave is responsible for following the Hukm of Allaah, so then it is from Tawheed Al-‘Ibaadah in this sense. And making it into a fourth category doesn’t make sense because it falls into the three categories. And the division without a reason is a cause of extra words which are not needed, and it is a simple matter anyway. If he makes it a separate category then he is being redundant, and there is no harm it."

ii) Ibn Uthaymin:

Shaikh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-'Uthaimeen was asked concerning this, and he replied that: "Whoever claims that there is a fourth category of tawheed under the title 'Tawheed al-Haakimiyyah' is to be counted as an innovator (mubtadi'). So this is an innovated categorisation which emanates from an ignorant person who does not understand anything of the affairs of 'aqeedah and the deen. This is because 'al-Haakimiyyah' falls within Tawheedur-Ruboobiyyah from the aspect that Allaah decrees whatever He wills.

It also enters under Tawheedur-Ruboobiyyah in that the servant must worship Allaah according to what He has decreed. So it does not fall outside the three categories of tawheed, which are: Tawheedur-Ruboobiyyah, Tawheedul-Uloohiyyah and Tawheedul-Asmaa was-Sifaat."

Then, when asked, 'How are we to rebut them?' he replied:

"We rebut them by saying to them, 'What does 'al-Haakimiyyah' mean?' It does not mean except their saying that judgement/decree is for Allaah alone ' and that is Tawheedur-Ruboobiyyah. So Allaah, He is the Lord, the Creator, the Sovereign Owner, the One in control of the affairs. But as for what they intend by it and an explanation of the danger of this idea of theirs, then we do not know their intentions and desire, so therefore we cannot estimate the seriousness of this matter.'

Taken from 'al-Muslimoon,' no. 639, 25th of Dhul-Hijjah 1417H which corresponds to Friday the 2nd of May 1997

iii) Al-Albani:

Shaikh Muhammad Naasiruddeen al-Albaanee was asked, "Our Shaikh, may Allaah bless you, the scholars of the Salaf, may Allaah have mercy upon them, mention that Tawheed is of three types: 'ar-Ruboobiyyah,' 'al-Uloohiyyah' and 'al-Asmaa was-Sifaat,' so is it correct for us to say that there is a fourth Tawheed that is 'Tawheedul-Haakimiyyah' or 'Tawheed of Judgement?' So he replied:"

'Al-Haakimiyyah' is a branch of the branches of Tawheedul-Uloohiyyah, and those who focus their attention upon this newly invented saying in the present age use it as a weapon not to teach the Muslims the Tawheed that all of the Prophets and Messengers came with, but rather as apolitical weapon. So if you wish I will establish for you what I have just said, even though this question has repeatedly been answered by me, many times - or if you wish we will continue upon our topic.

I have said in similar circumstances, as support for what I have just said, that usage of the word 'al-Haakimyyah' is part of the political da'wah that is particular to some of the parties present today; and I will mention here something that occurred between myself and someone who gave the khutbah in one of the mosques of Damascus. So on the day of Jumu'ah he gave a khutbah which was all about judgement/decree being for Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic. But this person made an error with regard to a matter of fiqh. So after he had finished the prayer I went forward to him and gave him 'salaam,' and said to him, 'O my brother, you did so and so, and that is contrary to the Sunnah.' So he said to me, 'I am a Hanafee, and the Hanafee madhhab says what I have done.' So I said, 'Subhaanallaah! You have given khutbah that judgement/decree is just for Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, but you only use this word to attack those rulers whom you think are Unbelievers because they do not rule according to the Islamic Sharee'ah. But you have forgotten about yourselves - that Allaah's decree/judgement covers every Muslim. So why, when I say to you that the Messenger did so and so, why do you say, 'But my madhhab is such and such.' Then you have contradicted that which you call the people to.

'So if it were not for the fact that they use this saying as a tool for political propaganda of theirs, then we would say, 'This is our merchandise that has been returned to us.

'So the da'wah that we call the people to contains 'al-Haakimiyyah' and other than 'al-Haakimiyyah': Tawheedul-Uloohiyyah and Tawheed of worship - that which you concentrate upon enters within it. We are the ones who propagated what you mention whilst you are focusing upon 'al-Haakimiyyah,' the hadeeth of Hudhayfah ibn al-Yamaan, that when the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa-sallam) recited this ayah to his noble Companions:

They (the Jews and the Christians) took the Rabbis and learned men as lords besides Allaah. Soorah at-Tawbah (9):31then 'Adiyy ibn Haatim at-Taa'ee said, 'By Allaah, O Messenger of Allaah, we did not take them as lords besides Allaah.' So he said, 'When they made something lawful forbidden for you, had you not used to declare it forbidden; and when they made lawful something forbidden, had you not used to take it as being lawful?' He said, 'As for that, then it did used to happen.' He said, 'Then that is your taking them as lords besides Allaah.

'So we are the ones who propagated this hadeeth, and then it reached the others. Then they advanced one part of Tawheedul-Uloohiyyah or worship, with this innovated title for political aims.

So I do not see anything (wrong) in a terminology such as this if only they had not left it as mere propaganda without their acting as it requires. So it is, as I have just mentioned, a part of Tawheed of worship - but you will see them worshipping Allaah in whatever manner each of them feels like, and if it is said, as we have just mentioned in the incident of the man who gave the khutbah, 'that someone is acting contrary to the Sunnah,' or 'this is something contrary to the saying of the Messenger (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa-sallam),' then he says, 'My madhhab is such and such.

'That judgement/decree is for Allaah alone is not just a proof against the Unbelievers and the mushriks, but also against anyone who transgresses against Allaah by contradicting what came from Allaah in His Book, and from His Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa-sallam) in his Sunnah. This is what I have as a reply to the likes of this question."Taken from 'al-Muslimoon,' no. 639, 25th of Dhul-Hijjah 1417H which corresponds to Friday the 2nd of May 1997-----------------------------------------------------------

iv) The Committee of "Major Scholars" on Tawhid al-Hakimiyyah( NOTE MAJOR SCHOLARS OF WAHABIS AND NOT AHLUS SUNNAH)

Question: "Some people, from the callers, have begun giving importance to mentioning 'Tawheedul-Haakimiyyah' in addition to the three well-known categories of Tawheed. So does this fourth category enter within the three categories? or not ' such that we make it a separate category which we must give (extra) importance to?

And it is said that Shaikh Muhammad ibn 'Abdul-Wahhaab gave attention to Tawheedul-Uloohiyyah in his time when he saw that the people fell short of Tawheed in that aspect, and that Imaam Ahmad in his time gave attention to Tawheedul-Asmaa was-Sifaat when he saw the people falling short of Tawheed in that aspect. But as for today then the people fall short with regard to Tawheedul-Haakimiyyah, so therefore we must give attention to it. So how correct is this saying?"

Answer: "Tahweed is of three categories: Tawheedur-Ruboobiyyah, Tawheedul-Uloohiyyah and Tawheedul-Asmaa was-Sifaat, and there is no fourth category. And judging by what Allaah sent down comes under Tawheedul-Uloohiyyah since it is from the types of worship due to Allaah, the One free of all imperfections, and all of the types of worship fall under Tawheedul-Uloohiyyah. Then making 'al-Haakimiyyah' a separate category is an innovated matter, which has not been the saying of any of the scholars as far as we know.

However there were some of them who generalised and said that Tawheed is of two classes: Tawheed of things known and affirmed (al-Ma'rifah wal-Ithbaat) - and it is Tawheedur-Ruboobiyyah and Tawheedul-Asmaa was-Sifaat; and Tawheed of purpose and intentions (at-Talab wal-Qasd) - and it is Tawheedul-Uloohiyyah. Then there are others who particularise and so place Tawheed in three categories, as has preceded, and Allaah knows best.

So it is obligatory to give attention to all of Tawheedul-Uloohiyyah, and to begin by forbidding shirk, since it is the greatest of sins and annuls all of the deeds, and a person upon it will remain for ever in the Fire. Also all of the Prophets began with the command to worship Allaah alone and the forbiddance of shirk; and Allaah has commanded us to follow their way and to proceed upon their methodology in da'wah and the rest of the affairs of the deen. So giving attention to tawheed with its three categories is obligatory in every time, since shirk and denial/divestment (ta'teel) of the names and attributes are still found, indeed they occur very often and their danger increases towards the end of time, and the seriousness of these two is a matter hidden from many of the Muslims, and those who call to these two are many and active. So occurrence of shirk is not something restricted to the time of Shaikh Muhammad ibn 'Abdul-Wahhaab, nor is denial/divestment (ta'teel) of the names and attributes restricted to the time of Imaam Ahmad, rahimahullaah, as occurs in the question. Rather their danger has increased and their prevalence has grown in Muslim societies today. So they are in the greatest need of those who will forbid from falling into them and who will make clear their danger. Whilst knowing that being upright upon the commands of Allaah and avoidance of what He forbids and applying/judging by His Sharee'ah, all of that falls under realisation of Tawheed and remaining free from shirk.

And may Allaah extol and send peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and his true followers and his Companions.

Taken from 'al-Muslimoon,' no. 639, 25th of Dhul-Hijjah 1417H which corresponds to Friday the 2nd of May 1997.

Haakimiyyah( A WAHABI SECT) is where the Jihadi/Qutubi Salafis break off from the regime loyalist/Madkhali types.

Madhkahli( A WAHABI SECT)=These are the people who're labeled as the Saudi Government supports (or scholars for dollars at it is termed from others.From the 'followers' of sheikh Rabia Ibn Hadi Al-Madkhali and Zayd Al-Madkhali )

Qutbi=( A wahabi sect) These people blindly follow Syed Qutub. But the Madkhalis have called "Qutbis" as deviant, evil and corrupted in Aqidah on their website!

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Wahabis ( so called “salafis”’) are of the view that all the laws of salah are common to both men and women, and that there is no difference between them. They also claim that the hadeeth 'Pray as you have seen me praying' is general and, therefore, should be applied equally to both men and women. It should be realised, however, that our own interpretation and logical inference of this hadeeth cannot compare with the other ahadeelh of the Messenger of Allah ( صلى الله عايه وسالم ) and the verdicts and practice of the Sahabah and Tabi'un ( رضئ الله عنهم ) quoted below.The Shariah has ordained distinct rules for men and women in many important questions of salah. For example,

• Jumuah is fardh upon men but not on women, and the Eid prayer is wajib for men but again not for women.Sayyiduna Tariq bin Shthab ( رضئ الله عنه ) reports that the Prophet ( صلى الله عايه وسالم ), said, 'Jumuah in congregation is an obligatory duty upon every Muslim except four people: a slave, a woman, a child, and one who is sick.’'538Sayyidatuna Umm Atiyyah . says as part of a longer hadeeth, 'We have been forbidden from following funerals and there is no Jumuah upon us. 539•

The reward of congregational prayer for men is twenty seven times more than an individual prayer. Contrary to this, the more rewarding prayer of a woman is that which is most concealed and performed within the confines of her innermost living quarters.

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud ( رضئ الله عنه ) reports that the Prophet ( صلى الله عايه وسالم ) said, 'The prayer of a woman in her makhda' (partition) is better than her prayer in her hujrah (chamber), and her prayer in her hujrah is better than her prayer in her bait (house).'540Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah ( رضئ الله عنه ) narrates that the Prophet ( صلى الله عايه وسالم ) said, The most beloved salah to Allah of a woman is one that she performs in the darkest spot of her home.'541•

Unlike men women should not give adhan or say the iqamah.Sayyidatuna Asmaa (R) narrates as part of a longer hadeeth that the Prophet ( صلى الله عايه وسالم ) said, 'There is no adhan iqamah or Jumuah upon women.'542Sayyidatuna Ibn Umar (R) says 'There is no adhan or iqamah upon women.'543•

There is a great difference in the awrah of a man and that of a woman in salah. Women must cover their entire body including the hair, leaving only the face, hands and feet exposed.Ummul Mu'mineen Aisha (R) reports that the Prophet ( صلى الله عايه وسالم ) said, 'Allah does not accept the salah of a mature female without a scarf.'544• Women cannot lead men in salah.Abu Bakrah (رضئ الله عنه ) reports that the Prophet ( صلى الله عايه وسالم ) said ‘Never will those people succeed who have appointed a woman over them.’545Jabir bin Abdullah (رضئ الله عنه ) reports as part of a longer hadeeth that the Prophet ( صلى الله عايه وسالم ) said, Know that a woman should not lead a man in salah.'546•

For the purpose of correcting or deterring someone in salah men should say 'subhanallah' loudly, whilst women are only allowed to clap their hands.Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (رضئ الله عنه ) reports that the Prophet ( صلى الله عايه وسالم ) said, 'Tasbeeh is for men, and clapping is for women.’547The different postures, positions and rulings concerning the prayers of the female are not the invention of a group or an individual but teaching of the Prophet ( صلى الله عايه وسالم ) himself. He was the very first person differentiate between the prayer of a man and a woman.Yazid bin Abi Habib reports that the Prophet ( صلى الله عايه وسالم ) passed by two women who were praying salah. He said, 'When you prostrate, let part of your body cling to the earth, for women are unlike men in this regard'.548Sayyiduna Ibn Umar (رضئ الله عنه ) narrates that the Prophet ( صلى الله عايه وسالم ) said, 'When a woman sits in salah she should place one thigh over the other, and when she prostrates she should press her stomach to her thighs in a manner that is the most concealing for her. Indeed Allah looks at her saying, "Oh my angels! I make you witness that I have forgiven her."549Sayyiduna Wail bin Hujr ( رضئ الله عنه ) reports that the Prophet ( صلى الله عايه وسالم ) said, 'Oh Ibn Hujr! When you pray make your hands level with your ears. And the woman shall raise her hands close to her bosom.'550We derive some very important and fundamental principles about the prayer of a woman from all the above ahadeeth.• The laws of salah are not always the same for men and women.•

The sunnah posture of a female in any position of salah is that which is the most concealing for her.Imam Baihaqi says,'All of the laws of salah in which a woman differs from a man are based on the principle of satr (concealment). This means that the woman is instructed to do all that which is more concealing for her.

The following chapters of hadeeth explain this meaning in detail.'551

As mentioned earlier, this variation in the salah of a woman has been prescribed by none other than the Prophet ( صلى الله عايه وسالم ) himself. It has remained the practice of the whole ummah till this day and is also reflected in the rulings of the Sahabah and Tabi'un.

The ulama and fuqaha of all four schools have always recognised this difference and, as is evident in their books of fiqh, have always observed the above principles whenever making a ruling about the salah of a woman. Following are a few narrations detailing the verdicts and practice of the Sahabah & together with the verdicts of some of the Tabi 'un and the ulama of the different schools of fiqh:Verdicts and practice of the Sahabah ( رضئ الله عنهم )Khalid bin al Lajlaaj reports as part of a longer hadeeth that women were ordered to do tarabb'u 552 when sitting in salah.553

Nafi' narrates that Safiyyah ( رضئ الله عنها ) would pray and do tarabb'u.554Nafi' also narrates that the womenfolk of Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar's (رضئ الله عنه ) family would do tarabb'u.555

Sayyiduna Ibn Umar (رضئ الله عنه ) was once asked, 'How did women pray their salah during the time of the Prophet ( صلى الله عايه وسالم ) ' He replied, 'They used to sit cross legged until they were told to practice ihtifaz556Sayyiduna Ali (رضئ الله عنه ) says, 'When a woman prostrates she should do ihtifaz and press her thighs together.', and in Abdul Razzaq's narration 'press her thighs against her stomach.'557

Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas ( رضئ الله عنه ) was asked about the prayer of a woman. He replied, 'She should pull herself close together and do ihtifaz.’558

Verdicts of the Tabi'un and other ulama.Ibn Jurayj reports, 'I asked Ataa: "Should a woman motion with her hands at the time of takbeer as a man does?" he replied, "She should not raise her hands with takbeer in the manner of men." Ataa then demonstrated (the way in which she should.) He placed his hands very low and then pulled them towards him. He then said, "The posture of a woman in salah is not that of a man."559

Ataa also says, 'A woman should pull herself together when she bows down into ruk'u: she should bring up her arms to her stomach and pull herself together as much as possible. When she prostrates she should bring up her arms close to her and press her bosom and stomach against her thighs: she should pull herself together as much as possible.560

Hasan and Qatadah both say, 'When a woman prostrates she should pull herself together as much as possible. She should not allow for any space between her limbs so that her posterior is not raised.'562

One certain author has argued that all the descriptions of the Prophet's ( صلى الله عايه وسالم ) prayer are equally applicable to both men and women and there is nothing in the sunnah that excludes women from any of them. Insha Allah the contents of this chapter will answer that claim. The author then goes on to say that this is the view of Ibrahim al Nakhai who said, 'A woman's actions in the prayer are the same as a man's.' - transmitted by Ibn Abi Shaibah (1/75/2), with a saheeh sanad from him.This is not what Ibrahim al Nakhai said at all nor is it his view. His narration transmitted by Ibn Abi Shaibah actually reads, 'A woman will sit in salah just as a man does.'563

This somehow has been misquoted as 'A woman's actions in the prayer are the same as a man's.'!In fact, Ibrahim al Nakhai's other narrations quite clearly contradict the above report. His view about the prayer of a woman as reported by Ibn Abi Shaibah and others is as follows:Ibrahim al Nakhai says, 'When a woman prostrates she should press her stomach against her thighs. She should not raise her posterior nor should she allow for any space or distance between the limbs of her body as a man does.'564

He also says, 'When a woman prostrates she should bring her thighs together and press her abdomen to them.'565

He also says, 'A woman should sit to one side in salah.'566Imam Baihaqi says,'All of the laws of salah in which a woman differs from a man are based on the principle of satr (concealment). This means that the woman is instructed to do all that which is more concealing for her. The following chapters of hadeeth explain this meaning in detail.'567

Ibn Qudamah al Maqdisi al Hanbali quotes Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal in his al Mughni as saying, 'I consider sadl 56S to be better for a woman.' He also qoutes the narration of Sayyiduna Ali ( رضئ الله عنه ) who says, 'When a woman prays salah she should do ihtifaz and press her thighs together.'569

Imam Ahmad was asked about how a woman should prostrate and sit for tashahhud. He replied, 'She should do whatever is more concealing for her.' He added, 'She should do tarabb'u in tashahhud and draw her legs to one side (sadl).'570

According to the narration of Abu Dawood, Imam Ahmad was asked about how a woman should sit in salah. He replied, 'She should press her thighs together.'571

Qadhi Iyadh has also quoted from some Salaf that the sunnah for women is tarabb'u.512

All the above quite clearly demonstrates that the prayer of a woman is different in some aspects from that of a man, and that this distinction was first made by none other than the Prophet ( صلى الله عايه وسالم ), and then maintained by the prominent Sahabah and Tabi'un. Furthermore, as can be seen in their works, there is almost universal agreement amongst the scholars of all schools of fiqh on this issue.List of differences between the prayer of a man and a woman.Some of the differences as mentioned in the Hanafi books of fiqh are listed below.In all the postures and movements of salah, including qiyam, ruk'u, sajdah, and tashahhud a woman should adopt that which is the most modest and concealing for her.At the beginning of salah a woman should not raise her hands to her ears but only to her shoulders or close to her bosom.573

In qiyam, women are to place their hands on their bosoms. They can fasten them in any one of the different ways 'akdh' (grasping) or 'wadh' (placing) described in part two, or they can simply rest the right palm on the left one.Unlike men, in ruk'u, women should tuck their arms into the body and not spread them outward. They should also merely place their hands over their knees with closed fingers, and not grasp them with the fingers spread wide open.574

In fact, women should try to keep their fingers close together in all the postures of salah.During prostration men should allow for some space and distance between their stomachs and thighs, and arms and the side of the body, whilst women should press these limbs together.Again in prostration, men should raise their arms off the ground and allow for some distance but women should let them cling to the ground.During the sitting of tashahhud, men are to rest on their legs and raise their right foot with the toes facing qiblah, whereas women are to take out both their legs towards the right hand side of the body and rest on the posterior without raising their right foot.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------The Salah of a Believer in the Quran and SunnahShaykh Abu Yusuf Riyadh ul HaqPurchase link AL-Rashad Bookstore [USA] Alkawthar Academy [United Kingdom]538 Abu Dawood 1067 and Hakim 1062. Hakim declared it saheeh and Dhahabi agreed.539 Ibn Khuzaimah 1722540 Abu Dawood 570 and Ibn Khuzaimah 1690.541 Ibn Khuzaimah 1691, and Tabarani in al M'ujam al Kabeer as mentioned by Hafidh Haithami 2/35. Hafidh Haithami also says that its narrators are authentic.542 Baihaqi 1921.543 Baihaqi 1920.544 Ahmad 24012, Ibn Majah 655, Abu Dawood 641, Tirmidhi 377, Ibn Khuzaiir 775, Hakim 917 and Baihaqi 3254. Hakim declared it saheeh and Dhahabi agreed.545 Ahmad 19507, Bukhari 4163, Tirmidhi 2262 and Nasai 5388.546 Ibn Majah 1081 and Baihaqi 5131.547 Bukhari 1145.548 Abu Dawood in his al Maraseel pl8 (Muassasah al Risalah edition), and Baiha 3201.549 Baihaqi 3199. He also declared it dhaeef.550 Tabarani in al M'ujam al Kabeer 22/19 no.28. Hafidh Haithami says 2/103, 'Tabarani has narrated it as part of a long hadeeth on the virtue of Wail bin Hujr 4fc with a chain of Maimoonah bint Hujr narrating from her auntie Umm Yahya bint Abdul Jabbar. I have not identified her but the rest of the narrators are reliable.'551 Baihaqi 2/314.552 i.e., to draw out one's right leg towards the right side of the body and to place the left leg beneath the right leg.553 Ibn Abi Shaibah 2783.554 Abdul Razzaq 5074 and Ibn Abi Shaibah 2784.555 Ibn Abi Shaibah 2789.556 Narrated by all three, Abu Muhammad al Bukhari, Qadhi Umar bin al Hasan Ashnani, and Ibn Khusruw in their Musnads of Imam Abu Hanifah's ahadeeth Ihtifaz is to lean to one side and rest on the posterior. It is more or less the same a sadl.557 Abdul Razzaq 5072 and Ibn Abi Shaibah 2777. Muhaddith Dhafar Ahmad Uthmani 3/32 has declared it hasan.558 Ibn Abi Shaibah 2778.559 Abdul Razzaq 5066 and Ibn Abi Shaibah 2474.560 Abdul Razzaq 5069.561 Ibn Abi Shaibah 2781.562 Abdul Razzaq 5068.563 Ibn Abi Shaibah 1/242, no 2788.564 Abdul Razzaq 5071 and Ibn Abi Shaibah 2782.565 Ibn Abi Shaibah 2779.566 Abdul Razzaq 5077 and Ibn Abi Shaibah 2792.567 Baihaqi 2/314.568 To draw out the right leg to one side of the body and place the left leg beneath one's right thigh. In this way the posterior will come to rest on the ground rather than on the left leg. She would, therefore, not be resting on her legs, but on her posterior as mentioned in the narration of Sayyiduna Ali(رضئ الله عنه )569 Ibn Qudamah in al Mughni 2/135.570 Masaail of Imam Ahmad narrated by his son Abdullah 373.571 Masaail of Imam Ahmad narrated by Abu Dawood p51.572 Awjaz al Masalik 2/119.573 Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal also says that she should raise them slightly and, according to one narration, she should not raise them at all.574 In some books of Hanafi fiqh it has been suggested that in ruk'u they should also bend their backs and knees slightly. The Hanbali scholar Imam Khirqi also says as part of a longer statement, 'The woman should gather herself in ruk'u and sujud.' (al Mughni 1/134.)

[United Kingdom]

538 Abu Dawood 1067 and Hakim 1062. Hakim declared it saheeh and Dhahabi agreed.539 Ibn Khuzaimah 1722540 Abu Dawood 570 and Ibn Khuzaimah 1690.541 Ibn Khuzaimah 1691, and Tabarani in al M'ujam al Kabeer as mentioned by Hafidh Haithami 2/35. Hafidh Haithami also says that its narrators are authentic.542 Baihaqi 1921. 543 Baihaqi 1920.544 Ahmad 24012, Ibn Majah 655, Abu Dawood 641, Tirmidhi 377, Ibn Khuzaiir 775, Hakim 917 and Baihaqi 3254. Hakim declared it saheeh and Dhahabi agreed.545 Ahmad 19507, Bukhari 4163, Tirmidhi 2262 and Nasai 5388.546 Ibn Majah 1081 and Baihaqi 5131.547 Bukhari 1145.548 Abu Dawood in his al Maraseel pl8 (Muassasah al Risalah edition), and Baiha 3201.549 Baihaqi 3199. He also declared it dhaeef.550 Tabarani in al M'ujam al Kabeer 22/19 no.28. Hafidh Haithami says 2/103, 'Tabarani has narrated it as part of a long hadeeth on the virtue of Wail bin Hujr 4fc with a chain of Maimoonah bint Hujr narrating from her auntie Umm Yahya bint Abdul Jabbar. I have not identified her but the rest of the narrators are reliable.'551 Baihaqi 2/314.552 i.e., to draw out one's right leg towards the right side of the body and to place the left leg beneath the right leg.553 Ibn Abi Shaibah 2783.554 Abdul Razzaq 5074 and Ibn Abi Shaibah 2784.555 Ibn Abi Shaibah 2789.556 Narrated by all three, Abu Muhammad al Bukhari, Qadhi Umar bin al Hasan Ashnani, and Ibn Khusruw in their Musnads of Imam Abu Hanifah's ahadeeth Ihtifaz is to lean to one side and rest on the posterior. It is more or less the same a sadl. 557 Abdul Razzaq 5072 and Ibn Abi Shaibah 2777. Muhaddith Dhafar Ahmad Uthmani 3/32 has declared it hasan.558 Ibn Abi Shaibah 2778.559 Abdul Razzaq 5066 and Ibn Abi Shaibah 2474.560 Abdul Razzaq 5069.561 Ibn Abi Shaibah 2781.562 Abdul Razzaq 5068.563 Ibn Abi Shaibah 1/242, no 2788.564 Abdul Razzaq 5071 and Ibn Abi Shaibah 2782.565 Ibn Abi Shaibah 2779.566 Abdul Razzaq 5077 and Ibn Abi Shaibah 2792.567 Baihaqi 2/314.568 To draw out the right leg to one side of the body and place the left leg beneath one's right thigh. In this way the posterior will come to rest on the ground rather than on the left leg. She would, therefore, not be resting on her legs, but on her posterior as mentioned in the narration of Sayyiduna Ali (ÑÖÆ Çááå Úäå )569 Ibn Qudamah in al Mughni 2/135.570 Masaail of Imam Ahmad narrated by his son Abdullah 373.571 Masaail of Imam Ahmad narrated by Abu Dawood p51.572 Awjaz al Masalik 2/119.573 Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal also says that she should raise them slightly and, according to one narration, she should not raise them at all.574 In some books of Hanafi fiqh it has been suggested that in ruk'u they should also bend their backs and knees slightly. The Hanbali scholar Imam Khirqi also says as part of a longer statement, 'The woman should gather herself in ruk'u and sujud.' (al Mughni 1/134.)

There are some differences between how women and men’s way of performing Salat.

1) Men raise there hands all the way to the ear for Takbeer while women raise their hands only up to their shoulders In Qayam (the standing posture) Men place their hands below Navel while women place their hands on their chest.

3) Men grasp their wrist while women do not. They only place right hand on the top of left with fingers intact together.

4 ) In Ruku (the bowing posture) Men’s back is horizontal while women suppose to bend their back only far enough to touch their knees. Looking from far it will look like a bow arc. They won’t flatten their back.

5 ) In Sajdah men’s back portion is raised from ground and hands apart from body and fingers of feet twisted while women suppose to be gathered in a way so that all their body parts are close together and abdomen placed over her thighs.Both feet and ankles sticking out to the right. Lower portion of back touching the ground.

6 ) During Jalsa and Qaida (sitting between Sajdah and during Attahyat) men sit on their left ankle and their right foot’s fingers are twisted while women sit on floor and their both ankles and feet sticking out towards right hand side

“The general principle is that women are equal to men in all religious rulings, because of the Hadith: "Women are counterparts of men." (Reported by Ahmad), except when there is evidence of a specific ruling which applies only to women. One of the cases in which the scholars mention specific rules for women is Prayer, as follows:1. Women do not have to give Adhan (call to Prayer) or Iqamah (second call to Prayer). Ibn Qudamah, may Allah have mercy on him, said: "We don’t know any difference between Muslim scholars (on this point)." (Al-Mughni ma`a Ash-Sharh Al-Kabir, 1/438).

2. All of the woman’s body must be covered during Prayer, except for her face and hands, because the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "No prayer will be accepted from an adult woman unless she wears a Khimar.” (Reported by Al-Bukhari) There is some dispute as to whether her heels and feet should be covered.

3. The woman should keep her limbs close to her body during bowing and prostration, and not spread them out, because this is more modest and covering. (Al-Mughni, 2/258) Al-Nawawi said: "In his Al-Mukhtasar, Ash-Shafi`i said that there is no difference between men and women in Prayer, except that women should keep the parts of their bodies close to one another, and they should make their stomachs touch their thighs during prostration. This is more covering and preferable in bowing and the rest of the Prayer as well." (Al-Majmu`, 3/429) 4. It is preferable for women to pray in congregation, led by another woman, because the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, told Umm Waraqah to lead the women of her household in Prayer.

There is some difference among scholars on this matter. (See Al-Mughni, 2/202 and Al-Majmu`, 4/84-85) The woman leading the Prayer should read aloud as long as no non-mahram man can hear her. It is permissible for women to go out and pray in the mosque with men, although their Prayer at home is better, because the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Do not prevent the women from going out to the mosques, even though their homes are better for them."

Imam An-Nawawi, may Allah have mercy on him, said: "Women differ from men in congregational Prayer in some ways:

a) Congregational Prayer is not required of them in the same way as it is of men.

b) In case a woman leads a group of women in Prayer, she stands in the middle of the (first) row. c) If one woman led by a man, she should stand behind him, not next to him.

d) If women are praying in rows behind men, the back rows are better for them than the front rows.” (Al-Majmu`, 3/455)” Excerpted, with slight modifications, from: www.islam-qa.com

Moreover, the following are some other differences: “1. When the Imam makes a mistake in a congregational Prayer, men would correct him by saying, “Subhanallah”, while women would correct him by clapping (some describe it as clapping the palm of one hand against the back of the other). This is confirmed in a well-known Hadith.

2. The Friday Prayer is not obligatory upon women. If a woman performs the Friday Prayer, then she doesn't have to pray the Zuhr Prayer.”

Differences Between The Way Men And Women PrayYes, there are minor differences between the physical actions of a man's prayer in comparison to a woman's prayer. Al-Hajjawi and Al-Buhuti write that

A woman prays like a man except that she bunches herself together and sits with her legs slightly slid underneath her to her right. (b: If there is a non-mahram male who can hear her, it is obligatory for her to conceal her recitation so that only she hears it.) (Al-Raud al-murbi`, p74)M ar`i bin Yusuf writes the same, though a bit clearer and with a few additional detailsWomen are like men in all that was previously mention--even concerning raising the hands. However, she bunches herself together when bowing and prostrating and does not unbunch herself [like a man]; she sits with her legs slightly slid underneath her on the right--and this is best--or cross-legged; and she must conceal her recitation when non-marhman men hear it, and otherwise there is no harm in making it audible. (Ghayat al-muntaha, 1.132-33)

P lease note that the only obligatory difference concerns recitation, and that even though it would be unlawful for a woman to raise her recitation where non-mahram men hear it, the prayer would still be valid.

The other differences fall under the category of recommended actions during prayer.The general topic of general related differences associated to prayer is found in hadith literature known as the musannafat. The musannafat include accounts from the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), his Companions (Allah be pleased with them), and the first few generations of Successors. The discussion is in the Musannaf of Abu Bakr `Abd al-Razzaq bin Hammam al-San`ani right before the chapter on Friday Prayer, or more precisely 3.126-51.And Allah knows best.

WAHABI VIEW

Sheikh Albani( WHO DIED SIX YEARS BACK and whom WAHABIS follow Blindly) says in his book 'The Prophet's Prayer':

All that has been mentioned of the description of the Prophet's prayer (sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam) applies equally to men and women, for there is nothing in the Sunnah to necessitate the exception of women from any of these descriptions; in fact, the generality of his statement (sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam), "Pray as you have seen me praying", includes women.This is the view of Ibraaheem an-Nakh'i, who said, "A woman's actions in the prayer are the same as a man's" - transmitted by Ibn AbiShaibah(1/75/2), with a saheeh sanad from him.

Also, Bukhaari reported in at-Taareekh as-Sagheer (p.95) with a saheeh sanad from Umm ad-Dardaa', "that she used to sit in her prayer just as a man sits, and she was a woman of understanding. "

The hadeeth about the indimaam (tucking up) of a woman in prostration, and that she is in that regard not like a man, is mursal and not authentic. Abu Daawood transmitted it in al-Maraaseel on the authority of Yazeed ibn Abi Habeeb.

As for what Imaam Ahmad has reported, as in his son 'Abdullaah's Masaa'il, from Ibn 'Umar, that he used to instruct his wives to sit cross-legged in prayer, its sanad is not authentic, for it contains 'Abdullaah ibn 'Umar al-'Amri, who is a da'eef (weak) narrator.

REPLY

As for those who claim there is no difference in the salah of males and females, they have absolutely no evidence – neither from the Qur'aan nor the Ahaadith. However, if they use the practice of Umm ud-Dardaa, their proof is unsubstantiated for several reasons.

(Imam Bukhari has also quoted this statement. However, he has not mentioned any chain of narrators for it. It is for this reason I have quoted the work of Ibn Abi Shaybah)It is incorrect to use this athar for the following reasons:

1. Hafizh Jamaal ud-Din Yusuf al-Mizzi has mentioned her among the Taabi'in. (Tahzheeb al-Kamaal fi-Asmaa ir-Rijaal: vol.22 p 464).The practice of a lone tabi'i is incorrect to adopt even if it may not be contrary to the principles. Hafiz Ibn Hajar Asqalaani states in Fath ul-Baari:"The practice of a lone Tabi'i, even though it may not contradict any principle, will not be used as proof. " (Fath ul-Baari: vol. 2 p 243)

Hafizh Ibn Hajar has only counted her among the Taabi'in. He says:

"It can be realised from the narration of Makhul that that narration refers to the younder Umm ud-Dardaa, the Tabi'iyyah, not the elder sahabiyyah because Makhulmet the former not the latter. " (Ibid)

2. Even if it accepted that she was a Sahabiyyah, then the narration becomes munqati' and will not be acceptable according to the principles of the Muhaddithin. It will also be regarded as her opinion. She did not encourage anyone else to follow her practice . Neither did she present any action or statement of Rasulullah nor the fatwa of any Khalifah.

Accordingly, with regard to the salah of women, the position of this opinion in the face of the practically adopted method of the ummah (tawaatur) is like the position of shaazqira'a has opposed to mutawaatir qira'ah. It is very clear that no muslim leaves the mutawaatir qira'ah for the shaazqira'ah.

3. Furthermore, if one examines the words of this narration carefully, it supports the view of the majority. The sitting posture of Umm ud-Dardaa has been compared to the posture of males in this narration which infers that the posture of the other Sahaabiyyaat was different as mentioned previously.

This narration contradicts the one mentioned by Ibn Abi Shaybah rahimahullah. It will accordingly not remain worthy of substantiating any Shar'i law. .. . in another narration of Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah (vol. 1 p270), one finds the following words:Ibrahim said: "A woman should sit in salah as a man does. " This quotation indicates permissibility. However, Naasir ud-Din al-Albaani has interpolated the words of this narration thus:

"A woman should so as a man does in salah. "(Sifatu Salatin-Nabiy p 207)

This interpolation has clearly changed the meaning of the words and is a misleading act.(Taken from THE SALAH OF WOMEN

published by Madrasah Arabiyyah Islamiyah Aazadville)

Chapter 4 – Proofs from Prophetic Hadiths

Imam Bayhaqi has mentioned a principle which is the basis of the differences found in the salah of males and females.

He says:

"The separating factor between the laws of salah of males and females is that of concealment . A woman is commanded to do all those actions which are more concealing for her. " (as-Sunan al-Kubra alil-Bayhaqi: vol. 2 p 222)

"`Ataa was asked how a woman should raise her hands in salah. He replied that she should raise them till her breast " (Ibid)

Based at Makkah, Ataa [the great Follower (tabi`i) and imam] used to issue this fatwa.Ibn Abi Shaybah narrates:

"Hammad ibn Salamah al-Basri used to say that a woman should raise her hands parallel to her breast when beginning salah. "(Ibid)Hammad was based at Kufa and he used to issue this fatwa.

The narration of Ibn Jurayj has been mentioned as follows:

Ibn Jurayj said, "I asked Ataa whether a woman should gesture with her hands like a male when making takbir. Ataa replied that she should not raise her hands like a male. Then he practically indicated with his hands how it should be done by lowering his hands and drawing them very close to his body. Then he said, "In the raising of the hands, a woman is unlike a man . And if she leaves that, there is no harm. ""

The Muslim Ummah continued this practice over the centuries. Imam Zuhri used to issue the same fatwa in Madinah.

PLACING THE HANDS

Allamah Abdul-Hayy Luckhnawi writes:"As for women, the jurists are unanimous that it is sunnah for them to place their hands on their bosoms. "(as-Si'aayah: vol. 2 p 152)

There is ijmaa' on this mas'alah.SAJDAH

Imam Abu Dawud has narrated the following hadith in his Maraaseel:(Arabic text)Translation:

"Yazid ibn Abi Habib states that Rasulullah passed by two women who were performing their salah. He said to them, "When you prostrate, then make the parts of your body touch the ground because a woman is unlike a man in these aspects. " (Maraaseel Abi Dawud p 118; and its like in as-Sunan al-Kubra alil- Bayhaqi: vol. 2 p 223)

Imam Bayhaqi narrates the following hadith:

Abdullah Ibn Umar reports that Rasulullah said, "When a woman sits during salah, she should place her one thigh over the other and when she prostrates, she must attach the stomach to her thighs so that is more concealing for her. Indeed, Allah looks at her and tells the angels, "O My angels! Bear witness hat I have forgiven her. ""

(as-Sunan al-Kubra alil-Bayhaqi: vol. 2 p 223)

Imam Abu Bakr Ibn Abi Shaybah narrates the following statement of Ali:"It is reported that Ali said: "When a woman performs salah, she must practise ihtifaaz and keep her thighs close together. ""

(al-Musannaf li-Ibn Abi Shaybah: vol. 1 p 270, and it has been taken many ways, Abdur-Razzaq has taken it from Isra'il from Abu Is'haq from Harith from Ali and Ibn Abi Shaybah took it from Abul-Ahwas from Abu Is'haq and Bayhaqi took it from Abul-Ahwas, with the mentioned sanad)Imam Abdur-Razzaq has quoted the following hadith in his Musannaf:Ali says, "When a woman prostrates, she must practise ihtifaz and keep her thighs close to her stomach. "

(al-Musannaf li-Abdir-Razzaq: vol. 3 p 138)

"Ihtifaaz": to lean on one side and rest on the posterior.(See Lugaat al-Hadith: vol. 1 p 98)

"Ibn Umar states that when a woman prostrates, she must let her stomach touch her thighs in order to make herself completely concealed. "(Kanz ul-Ummal: vol. 4 p 117)

Imam Ibn Abi Shaybah narrates:"Ibrahim says that when a woman prostrates she should join her thighs to her stomach without raising her posterior and without stretching her limbs out like a male. "

(al-Musannaf li-Ibn Abi Shaybah: vol. 1 p 270)

The following words have been narrated by Ibrahim Nakha'i:"Ibrahim said that when a woman prostrates she must draw her thighs inwards and place her stomach on them. " (Ibid)Mujaahid:

"Muhaahid used to dislike that a man attach his stomach to his thighs as a woman does. "(Ibid)

Hasan al-Basri:

"Hishaam reports from Hasan who says that woman should draw herself closely together in sajdah. "(Ibid)

Imam Abdur-Razzaq narrates:

Ibrahim says, "A woman used to be commanded to place her arm and her stomach on her thigh when she goes into sajdah and not to spread her limbs out as a male does so that her buttocks are not raised. "(al-Musannaf li-Abdir-Razzaq: vol. 3 p 138)

Allamah Muhammad Taahir al-Gujaraati narrates:

"When a lady performs salah, she must contract herself when she sits down and when she goes into sajdah and she must not spread her limbs out. "(Majma' Bihar l-Anwaar: vol. 1 p 521)

Based on these narrations, the Fuqahaa have issued the following ruling:"A woman should contract herself in sajdah and join her stomach to her thighs because this is more concealing for her. "(al-Hidaayah: vol. 1 p 53)

THE SITTING POSITION

It is mentioned in the Musnad of Imam Abu Hanifah rahimahullah:"Abdullah ibn Umar was asked how women performed their salah during the era of Rasulullah. He replied that initially they performed tarabbu'. Then they were ordered to themselves close together ad lean onto one side by resting on their left buttocks and completely contracting themselves. "

(Jaami' ul-Masaaneed: vol. 1 p 400)

Taraabu' is to sit cross legged. This narration indicates that initially the women sat in the position of tarabbu' but this command was later abrogated and they were ordered to draw themselves close together and lean onto one side by resting on their left buttocks and completely contracting themselves.Sheikh Abu’l-Wafaa Afghaani writes:

"This is the most authentic narration of this chapter i.e. the sitting position of women . It is for this reason that Imam Abu Hanifah has made it the basis of his madh'hab. "(Ta'leeqash-Sheikh Abul-Wafaa Afghaani ala Kitab il-Aathaar lil-Imam Muhammad ash-Shaybaani: vol. 1 p 208)

Abu Bakr Ibn Abi Shaybah narrates:

When Ibn Abbas was asked about the salaah of a woman, he replied, "She must draw herself close together and lean onto one side by resting on her left buttock. "(al-Musannaf li-Ibn Abi Shaybah: vol. 1 p270)in another narration of Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah (vol . 1 p270), one finds the following words: (Arabic text)

Translation: Ibrahim said: "A woman should sit in salah as a man does. "This quotation indicates permissibility. However, Naasir ud-Din al-Albaani has interpolated the words of this narration thus:

"A woman should so as a man does in salah. "(Sifatu Salatin-Nabiy p 207)

This interpolation has clearly changed the meaning of the words and is a misleading act.The following narration is also quoted by Ibn Abi Shaybah:Khalid ibn Lajlaaj said that women were commanded with tarabbu' when they sat in salah and they should not sit like men on their buttocks. That is in order that nothing happens. "(al-Musannaf li-Ibn Abi Shaybah: vol. 1 p 270)

The Fuqahaa took these narrations into consideration and deliveredthe following ruling:

"A woman should sit on her left buttock and position her legs out on her right hand side because that is more concealing for her. "(al-Hidaayah: vol. 1 p 55)

The above narrations indicate that Ibrahim Nakha'i used to issue the fatwa in Kufain accordance with this practise, while in Madinah Mujhaahiddid likewise as did Hasan Basri in Basrah.

These ahaadith and aathaar clearly indicate that the salah of females differs from that of males

Chapter 5 – What the Fuqaha Say

The Hanafi Madh-hab

Allaamah Muhammad Amin Ibn Abidin as-Shami rahimahullah:

"A woman should not raise her hands till her shoulders. She should not take her hands out of her sleeves. She should place one palm over the other on her breast . She should bend only slightly in ruku'. She will not spread her fingers out in ruku' but rather keep them close together and place her palms on her knees without clasping them. She should bend her knees slightly. She should contract herself in ruku' and sajdah. She should place her arms flat on the ground. She should sit with her legs out and resting on her posterior in tashahhud. In tashahud she should keep her fingers close together. If any mistake occurs in salah, she should clap her hands without uttering anything. She cannot make imamah of a male. It is makruh to have a female only congregation. The female imam will stand in their midst. It is makruh for her to attend the congregation. In a mixed congregation the females will stand at the rear. Jumu'ah is not obligatory for her, but if she attends it, she will be absolved of responsibility. Neither is Eid compulsory on her nor the takbir of tashriq. It is not mustahab for her to perform Fajr when it brightens up. In the loud salahs she will not raise her voice. "

"A woman should bend slightly in ruku; without spreading her fingers out completely. However, she must contract herself and place her palms on her knees and bend them slightly . She must not spread out her arms as this is more concealing for her. "(Ibid p 494)

"According to Umm ud-Dardaam Ataa, Zuhri and Hammaad and others, a woman should raise her hands till her breasts. "

(al-Binayah fi sharh al-Hidaayah: vol. 2 p 187)

Muhammad ibn Muqaatil narrates the same verdict from the Hanafi jurists. (Ibid)Burhanud-Din al-Marghinaani rahimahullah, the author of al-Hidaayah states that this is the correct and accepted version.(al-Hidaayah: vol. 1 p 50)

It is stated in the Fataawaa Aalamgiriyyah:

"As for a female she must bend slightly in ruku' without spreading her fingers out. She must keep them together on her knees by merely placing the palms. She must bend her knees slightly and not spread her arms out.

A female should not spread out in ruku' and sajdah while she will sit on her legs. In sajdah she will make her stomach rest on her thighs .A woman will sit on her left buttock and position her legs out to the right side. "(al-Fataawaa al-Alamkiriyyah: vol. 1 p 75)

Imam Abu Ja'far at-Tahaawi rahimahullah:"As for a woman, our scholars (Hanafi) state that she should sit in a manner that is most concealing. "

(Mukhtasar ikhtilaaf al-ulamaa': vol. 1 p212)

Sheikh Muhammad Zakariyya al-Kaandhlawi rahimahullah:"It is unconditionally preferable according to us (Hanafi jurists) for a woman to sit on her buttocks with her legs positioned out to the right hand side. "(Awjaz al-Masaalik: vol. 1 p 258)

Allaamah Abd ul-Hayy al-Lukhnawi rahimahullah:

"A woman differs from a man in many of the actions of salah…"(as-Si'aayah: vol.2 p 205)He then goes on to list the differences as mentioned by the other jurists.

The Salah as offered by women differs from that of men in the following aspects. Women should be careful about what is required of them:

1. Before they begin their Salah, women should make sure that their whole body, except the face, the hands and the feet, is covered with clothes.Some women offer their Salah with the hair on their head remaining uncovered. Some have their wrists left uncovered. Some women use scarfs so thin or small that their hair tresses are visible dangling down underneath. If, during the Salah, any part of the body, even if it be equal to one-fourth, remains uncovered for a time during which one could say (Subhana Rabbi-al-Azim) three times, the Salah itself would not be valid. However, should the uncovered portion be less than that, Salah would take place but the sin shall stay.

2. For women, making Salah in the room is better than doing it in the verandah and doing it in the verandah is better than doing it in the courtyard.

3. While starting the Salah, women should not raise their hands upto their ears, instead, they should raise them upto their shoulders, and that too, from within the scarf or other outer wrap being used. Hands should not be taken out of this cover.

4. When women fold their hands on the chest, they should simply place the palm of their right hand on the back of the left forehand. They should not fold their hands on the navel like men.

5. In Ruku’, women are not required to straighten their backs fully like men. Women should bend less as compared to men.

6. In the position of Ruku’, men should open up their fingers while placing them on the knees, but women are required that they place their hands on the knees with fingers close together, that is, there be on space between fingers.

7. Women should not stand on legs absolutely straight, instead, they should stand with knees slightly bent forward.

8. In Ruku’, men are required to keep their arms stretched, away from the sides. But, women should stand with their arms close to their sides.

9. Women should stand with both feet close together. Specially, both their knees should just about be joined together. Let their be no separating distance between legs.

10. While doing Sajdah, the method prescribed for men is that they should not lower their chest until such time that their knees come to rest on the floor. But this method is not for women. They can, right from the start, lower their chest and go for Sajdah.

11. Women should do their Salah in a manner that the stomach-wall come to rest against the thighs and the arms stay close to the sides. In addition to that, omen do have to position their feet, upright, they should spread them on the floor sliding them out towards the right.

12. Men are prohibited to place their elbows on the floor while making Salah. But, women should place the whole arm, including the elbows, on the floor.

13. When sitting between Sajdah and when reciting (at-Tahiyyaat), sit on the left hip, side both feet out to the side and let the left foot reset on the right calf of the leg.

14. Men are required that they be careful about keeping their finger upon when bending for Ruku’, and keeping then close together in Sajdah, and then, leave them as they are during the rest of the Salah, when they make no effort either to close or open them. But, it required of women, under all conditions, that they keep fingers close together, that is leave no space between them. This is required all along in Ruku’, in Sajdah, between two Sajdah and in the Qa’dahs.

15. It is makruh (reprehensible) for women to make a jama’ah (congregation) The very act of offering their Salah alone is better for them. However, should mahram-members of the family be making their Salah with jama’ah within the house, there is no harm if they join in with them in the jama’ah. But, in a situation like this, it is necessary that they stand exactly behind men. They should never stand next to them in the same row.

NOTE

The Salafis claim that it is Sunnah to stretch the legs wide apart and for a musalli’s toes to touch the toes of the musalli standing alongside him in the saff. This ludicrous position is imposed by the Salafis on even women who are obliged to stand with their legs wide open. What an ugly, miserable and immodest stance for a woman to adopt? A woman is an object of concealment according to the statement of Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam). When she has to stretch her legs wide open, she adopts the stance of lewd and shameless women. Throughout Salaat, a woman’s postures are to be constricted -- made small and drawn in, not asserted like a man asserts and expresses his actions during Salaat.

Saturday, June 9, 2007

Even if one was to denounce Ibn Battuta's account as being a false and fabricated statement, one may wish to know that the greatest scholar of Hadith in his time, Shaykh al-Islam al-Hafidh Ahmad ibn Hajar al- Asqalani (Rahimahullah) has reported an incident in al-Durar al- kamina (1, 164) where again Ibn Taymiyya descended the steps of the minbar in order to illustrate his understanding of how Allah descends (nuzul) as early as the year 705/1305 AH (some 21 years before Ibn Battuta's account). Hafiz Ibn Hajar's source for this incident was one of Ibn Taymiyya's own disciples by the name Sulayman Najm al-Din al-Tufi al-Hanbali (d. 716/1316)

Also Taqi al-Din al-Hisni mentioned it who lived before the Hafidh Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani.

bn Taymiyya's conception of Allah's bodily descent is also stated in his own writings, as shown from the following excerpt from his al-Ta'sis fi al-radd `ala asas al-taqdis, written as a refutation of Imam al-Razi who was a fierce enemy of the Karramiyya and other anthropomorphists:

The Creator, Glorified and Exalted is He, is above the world and His being above is literal, not in the sense of dignity or rank. It may be said of the precedence of a certain object over another that it is with respect to dignity or rank, or that it is with respect to location. For example, respectively: the precedence of the learned over the ignorant and the precedence of the imam over the one praying behind him. Allah's precedence over the world is not like that, rather, it is a literal precedence (i.e. in time). Similarly the elevation above the world could be said to be with respect to dignity or rank, as for example when it said that the learned is above the ignorant. But Allah's elevation over the world is not like that, rather He is elevated over it literally (i.e. in space). And this is the known elevation and the known precedence

Source :Ibn Taymiyya, al-Ta'sis al-radd `ala asas al-taqdis 1:111.

It should be clear that the above in no way represents the position of Imam Ahmad or his school. As Ibn al-Jawzi reported in his Daf` shubah al-tashbih: `Ali ibn Muhammad ibn `Umar al-Dabbas related to us that Rizq Allah ibn `Abd al-Wahhab al-Tamimi said: "Ahmad ibn Hanbal did not attribute a direction to the Creator.

Source: Ibn al-Jawzi, Daf` shubah al-tashbih p. 135.

Imam Jalal ad-Din as-Suyuti (d. 911/1505; Rahimahullah)

Imam as-Suyuti wrote in his book Kam' al-mu'arid : "Ibn Taymiyya was arrogant. He was self conceited. It was his habit to represent himself as superior to everybody, to slight the person whom he talked to and to make fun of great Muslims."

Hafiz al-Sakhawi (d. 902/1497; Rahimahullah)

Hafiz al-Sakhawi (a student of Hafiz Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani) stated in his al-I'lan (English translation in 'A History of Muslim Historiography', pg. 284, by F. Rosenthal): "There are also those scholars of great learning, austerity, and asceticism whom people avoided and whose knowledge they were careful not to utilize, because of their loose tongue and lack of tact, which caused them to talk and criticize excessively. Such men were Ibn Hazm and Ibn Taymiyya."

Among the deviant extremists that exists in this world are the so-called "Salafiyyah" better known as Al-Wahhabiyyah (Wahhabis). Among the ill creed of this group is the belief that addressing the Prophet Muhammad (sallAllahu ^alayhi wa sallam) after he has died by saying "Ya Muhammad" (O' Muhammad) is blasphemy. Yet this group has taken as their head a man called Ahmad Ibn Taymiyah who himself judged those words (ie Ya Muhammad) as being good words.Therefore i ask the question: how can a person be "Shaykhul-Islam" and a blasphemer as the same time?

A SAHABI SAYING "YA MOHAMMED" AFTER PROPHET LEFT THIS WORLD

"Some time after Rasulu'llah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) had passed away, 'Abd Allah Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was in Najd where one day his foot became numb. As a remedy to alleviate the pain, a person advised him, "Remember the one whom you love the most!". Upon hearing this Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "Ya Muhammad! (may Allah bless him and grant him peace)" and his foot made an immediate recovery from numbness"

"In the same way as 'Abd Allah ibn Umar's foot became numb and he remembered the one he loves the most, 'Abd Allah Ibn 'Abbas's foot also became numb. Someone also advised him to remember the one who he loves the most, whereupon 'Abd Allah Ibn 'Abbas exclaimed 'Ya! Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and his foot immediately recovered from numbness"

Praise be to Allah for my lowliness. O Lord, have mercy on me, diminish my mistakes, and preserve my Iman for me. What sadness at my lack of sadness; what sorrow over the sunna and the departure of its people; what longing for believing brothers to share with me in weeping; what grief over the loss of people who were light-giving lamps of Sacred Knowledge, men of taqwa, and treasure-troves of every good; alas for not finding a dirhem that is halaal or a brother who is loving.

Great good tidings to him whose own faults divert him from those of others, and woe to whom the faults of others divert him from his own.How long will you see the speck in your brother's eye and forget the log in your own? How long will you praise yourself, your prattle, your style, while blaming religious scholars and searching out people's shameful points, knowing as you do that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) forbade it saying:

"Mention not your dead save with good, for they have gone onto what they have sent ahead." Of course, I realise that you will defend yourself by telling me the attacks are only for those who've never smelled the scent of Islam and don't know what Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace) brought and that is your jihad. Not so, by Allah those who you attack know what is even better than the amount that suffices if the servant acts on it to make him succeed. Moreover, they are ignorant of a great deal that does not concern them. And "the excellence of a person’s Islam includes leaving what does not concern him." By Allah man! Give us respite from you, for you are an eloquent polemicist who neither rests nor sleeps. Beware of doubt-creating, problematic religious questions. Our Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) was offended by too many questions, found fault with them, and forbade excessive asking. He also said:"The thing I fear most for my people is the eloquent hypocrite." Too much talking, if free of mistakes, hardens the heart when it concerns the halaal and haraam. So how should it be when it concerns the words of the Yunusiyya, the philosophers, and expressions of kufr, which make hearts go blind? By Allah, we've become a laughing stock in existence. How long will you disinter the details of philosophical expressions of kufr for us to refute with our minds? You've swallowed, man, the poison of the philosophers and of their works more than once; and by too much using of a poison one's constitution gets addicted. It collects, by Allah, in the body.O, what longing for a group among whom the Qur'an is recited with reflection, where awe is experienced through its meditation, where there is silence from its contemplation. O, what longing for an assembly where the pious are mentioned, for mercy descends where the righteous people are remembered, not where the righteous are spoken of with contempt and curses. The sword of al-Hajjaj and the tongue of Ibn Hazm were brothers [ie no Muslims was safe from them], and now you have joined the family. By Allah, give us a break from talking about "the bid`a of Thursday", and "eating the grains", and rather make a serious effort to remember the bid`as we used to consider the source of all misguidance, which have now become the "genuine sunna" and the "basis of tawhid", and whoever doesn't know them is a Kafir, or a donkey, and whoever doesn't call him a Kafir is a bigger Kafir than Pharaoh. You consider the very Christians like us.

By Allah, there are misgivings in hearts. You are fortunate if your faith in the two shahadahs has remained unscathed. Oh the disappointment of him who follows you, for he is exposed to corruption in basic beliefs and to dissolution. Particularly if he is short of learning and religion, a self-indulgent idler who does well for you by fighting on your behalf with his hand and tongue, while he is actually your enemy in his being and heart. What are your followers but hidebound do-nothings of little intelligence, common liars with dull minds, silent outlanders strong in guile, or dryly righteous without understanding? If you don't believe it, just look at them and honestly assess them.

The donkey of your lusts, O Muslim, has stepped forward to applaud your self. How long will you dote on your ego and attack the finest people? How long will you credit it, and disdain the pious? How long will you exalt it, and despise the devotees? How long will you be its closest friend, and detest the abstinent? How long will you praise your own words in a manner you do not even use for the Sahihs of Bukhari and Muslim? Would that the hadiths of the two Sahihs were safe from you, as you continually attack them, by suggesting weakness, considering them fair game, or with figurative explanations and denial. Hasn't the time come to give up? Is it not it time to repent and atone? Aren't you at that tenth of a man's life when he reaches seventy years and the final departure has drawn near? Indeed, By Allah, I don't recall that you remember death much. You sneer at whoever remembers death. So I don't think you'll take to my words or hear my exhortation. You will, instead, probably show great energy and concern to demolish this piece of paper with weighty volumes, snipping off the ends of my sentences for me until you gain the upper hand and can close the argument with a triumphant "...at all. And he was silent."If this is how you stand in my eyes, and I am someone sympathetic to you, fond and affectionate, how do you think you stand with your enemies? By Allah among your enemies, there are the righteous and intelligent men and virtuous ones, just as among your friends there are the wicked, liars, ignoramuses, layabouts, the vile, and cattle.

I can accept that you should publicly disparage me, while secretly benefiting from what I have said. "May Allah have mercy on the man who shows me my faults" [words attributed to `Umar (Allah be pleased with him)]. For I have many faults and sins, and woe to me if I myself do not repent, and how enormous my disgrace from Him who knows the Hidden. The sole remedy for me is the forgiveness of Allah and His clemency, His giving success and His guidance.Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds. Allah bless our lieglord Muhammad, the Last of the Prophets, his folk and companions one and all.

PLEASE NOTE:

An epistle entitled al-Nasiha al-Dhahabiyya written when al-Dhahabi was around fifty-five years of age and addressed to Ibn Taymiyya towards the end of his life. In this brief but scathing epistle the author distances himself from his contemporary and admonishes him without naming him, calling him "an eloquent polemicist who neither rests nor sleeps."34

A "Salafi" apologist recently cast doubt on the authenticity of al-Dhahabi's authorship of this epistle, also claiming that, even if al-Dhahabi wrote it, then it is directed to someone other than Ibn Taymiyya.35

However, both Salah al-Din al-Munajjid and Dr. Bashshar `Awwad Ma`ruf declared that there was no doubt al-Dhahabi wrote it towards the end of his life and addressed Ibn Taymiyya.36

Ibn Hajar voiced no doubt as to the authenticity of this epistle as attributed to al-Dhahabi,37 nor al-Sakhawi who calls it "a glorious statement of doctrine."38 In particular the Nasiha contains the following prophetic description of Taymiyya-followers in our time:

"Oh the disappointment of him who follows you! For he is exposed to corruption in basic beliefs and to dissolution. Particularly if he is short of learning and religion, a self-indulgent idler who does well for you by fighting on your behalf with his hand and tongue, while he is actually your enemy in his being and heart. What are your followers but hidebound do-nothings of little intelligence, common liars with dull minds, silent outlanders strong in guile, or dryly righteous without understanding? If you do not believe it, just look at them and honestly assess them.

Imam al-Dhahabi had a son who was known as Abu Hurayra. Abu Hurayra was a teacher to both: Hafiz ibn Hajar al Asqalani and his student: Hafiz al-Sakhawi. Hence, both of these Hadith Masters could have easily verified with Abu Hurayra, if his father - Hafiz al-Dhahabi, had actually compiled this or not for sure.

The fact that al-Sakhawi quoted from al-Dhahabi verbatim in his al-I'lan is proof that he accepted the authenticity of al-Dhahabi's attack on ibn Taymiyya! Al-Sakhawi did not say that it was forged against Dhahabi or that it came down in the handwriting of Ibn Qadi Shuhba!

The Nasiha is preserved in Dar al-Kutub al Misriyya (no. 18823), Cairo, Egypt, and in the former Maktaba al-Zahiriyya (no. 1347), Damascus, Syria.

What gives strength to the authenticity of this letter being by Hafiz al-Dhahabi is the fact that Ibn Qadi Shuhba, who is known as a biographer of the later Shafi'i Madhhab, as well as being a Historian, had actually given his Sahih Isnad back to al-Dhahabi. This letter reached him from: al-Qadi Burhan ibn Jama'a (d. 790 AH) from the Hafiz of Hadith: Abu Sa'eed al-Alai'e (d. 761 AH), who took it from his teacher: Hafiz al-Dhahabi.